Daniel Boone and Art Deco

Today I went to see Bill Allen, a blacksmith out in Clarksburg, Maryland. Wedged in between a few hills his red barn and smith shop prominently stuck out. As he came out to greet me he was looking around the car as if he was expecting another person. It's because he was; he was expecting my daughter. Somewhere in my phone call from Starbucks yesterday, over the sounds of blenders and GW students chatting, I guess it sounded like I wanted to bring my daughter.

Instead, I showed him my baby, my new 50$ pole vise. He said it looked good, with a little bit of love and care it could be restored to something like new.

Bill has been blacksmithing for fourteen years. He was first introduced to blacksmithing at a crafts fair where Dan Boone (a descendant of the Daniel Boone) had set up a portable smithy and was demonstrating how to create a dragon's head out of metal. Bill began asking questions and Dan eventually pointed him in the direction of his local chapter of ABANA. From there on out Bill took some classes and taught himself.

What I have found is that a basic knowledge in all things welding proves to be an invaluable skill. Most of Bill's joinery is done through welding. He has been welding since 1970, at least that is the date he purchased the oxyacetylene torch now sitting in his shop.

Tomorrow I'll be visiting Tim Beachley in Fredrick, Maryland. According to Bill, Tim is relatively young but really growing as a blacksmith.

Because I don't have any new pictures, here are some pictures of ironwork in Savannah that I never got to share:


I believe it fitting that SCAD building have a hand forged railing. One is able to tell that the railing was made by forge and hammer because the scrolls aren't symmetrical.

This picture is a little bit blurry but you are still able to see the detail that fascinated me. The fact is that in a city where all the architecture is stuck in the 19th century, this home-owner was able to install Art Deco inspired iron work.